No money? Russians offer pennies for negative reviews of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been the target of a massive negative review campaign, which has raised suspicions of an organized attempt to discredit the project. The main version explains this as a reaction to the game’s success and its symbolic significance in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The campaign seems primitive and focuses on attracting people via Telegram for minimal amounts of reward.

According to reports, Russian trolls are offering users small amounts of money for negative comments and reviews on Steam, TikTok, and other platforms. On Steam, for example, they offer 100 rubles for a template review, and up to 450 rubles for a more elaborate one. On TikTok, the reward is even more modest: 80 kopecks per comment or 5 rubles for every 200 views of a negative video.

Gamers on Reddit and X ridiculed this attempted manipulation, emphasizing the absurdity of the amounts offered. Many even suggested using troll money to buy the game and leave positive reviews. This led to the campaign attracting more attention to the game than to its shortcomings.

Stalker 2 is perceived not only as a long-awaited game project, but also as a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russian aggression. Developers from GSC Game World call the game a “love letter to Ukraine” created in the conditions of war. Even despite the technical difficulties, the project received positive feedback from the community, which probably caused such attacks.

Such actions not only expose the organizers in a ridiculous light, but also serve as an unnecessary reminder of how important this game is as a cultural phenomenon.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is rapidly gaining popularity, becoming one of the most popular games of this year. According to the analytical company Video Game Insights, more than 1.4 million people have already purchased the game since its release.

The largest number of buyers came from the United States – 22% of all sales. Ukraine is in second place with 16%, which is not surprising given the local theme of the game. Germany and China also show high interest, providing a combined 14% of the total number of purchases.

The maximum number of simultaneous players reached 121 thousand, and five days after the release, users spend an average of 7.5 hours a day in the game Stalker 2, exploring the Zone.On Steam, the project received 78% positive reviews, confirming its success among players.